Arbab Niaz Stadium to be renamed after Imran Khan

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has moved to rename the Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium in Peshawar as the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, honouring the former prime minister's significant contribution to Pakistan's sporting legacy.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur approved a sports department summary on 20 February, proposing the name change. The matter will now go before the provincial cabinet for final approval.

Sports minister Syed Fakhar Jahan emphasised that the decision transcended politics, stating, "Imran Khan is the biggest name in the country's sporting history." He added that while Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium should ideally have borne Imran Khan's name, only an enclosure there was named after him.

The summary revealed that Chief Minister Gandapur had personally advocated for renaming the stadium, located in Peshawar's Shahi Bagh area. Originally constructed by the Municipal Corporation Peshawar under the Peshawar Development Authority, the stadium was established following directives from the then-president of Pakistan.

Initially built with a seating capacity of 5,000 spectators and a modest pavilion for local matches, the stadium was transferred to the sports board in 1986-87. The provincial government undertook significant upgrades, especially ahead of the 1996 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Pakistan.

The stadium has hosted Test matches, one-day internationals, first-class fixtures, and inter-club competitions. It has welcomed major cricketing nations, including Australia, England, South Africa, the West Indies, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, India, and Zimbabwe, for both Tests and ODIs.